Ministry of Agrarian Policy: Grain yield this year will drop by no more than 5%

The Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food predicts an overall decline in grain yield within 5% compared to last year.

"Now it is still difficult to objectively compare the final numbers with the previous year because this year we see a delay in vegetation, ripening, and harvesting of about two to three weeks. But if we look at the harvest phase, the yield is still a little lower than last year," Deputy Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine Taras Vysotskyi said during the United News nationwide telethon.

He emphasized that currently the yield lower by about 10-15% is recorded, but the next weeks will be key for more accurate forecasts.

"In general, as a result of harvesting at least the early grain group, we expect that the yield will still decrease, but by no more than 5% compared to last year. Let's take into account this delay in vegetation and the weather factor because the early grain group will be harvested not earlier than August," the deputy minister added.

As reported, as of July 14, 2.157 million tonnes of grain and leguminous crops were harvested in Ukraine on the area of 643.8 thousand hectares with a yield of 33.5 tonnes/ha.